Teaching old dog new tricks
by your-biohazardous-friend
Summary: my take on how the certain captain had learnt his ABCs. Slight AU if you look at it timeline-wise.


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my doubtful skills

**Warnings:** minor swearing, mentions of violence and alcohol consumption. The story contains an element of surprise for those who didn't choose Order's side in the first game (or didn't see videos on YT), furthermore the content of this story might be confusing for those who didn't play first game at all (or didn't see walkthroughs on YT).

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**Teaching old dog new tricks**

_By your-biohazardous-friend_

If anyone said that the old dogs couldn't lean new tricks, The Grand Master of the Order of the Flaming Rose would definitely disagree with the statement. He had seen hundreds of men, old and young, who, by the light of Eternal Fire, within couple of months turned from mere peasants into honourable knights. The man sitting at the pew before him, wearing a weird combination of blue and white clothing with chaperon on his head, was no exception. By the look into the man's eyes the Knight was positive that he had a rough life – being a drunkard and vagabond were definitely parts of it. The Grand Master also heard much about the man's sudden appearance at the Temerian castle. He was the same person who – being completely out of his mind because of all drunken booze – spectacularly saved Foltest, who by that time was travelling incognito, from several thugs. The details of their encounter remained shrouded in mystery, due many gossips formed around the story; but few points remained unchanged: a pale broke loose from the fence, an oil lamp and 'a particular insult'.

The Grand Master didn't care less about man's origin – it's the first thing he learnt at the Order. Sadly the man wasn't with him to join the warrior-monks, but by the will of the ruler of Temeria. It appears that the man was a newly promoted captain of newly found temerian special unit. When the Grand Master was introduced to him for the first time, he couldn't help but smile at the man's disappointed face. The knight was much younger than the captain who seemed to be irritated that he was about to be taught by a stripling. The Captain wasn't sent to the Order of the Flaming Rose to learn about the morals or higher honors, but to learn how to read and write properly. Even thou it wasn't King's wish, the grand master tried his best to cram some morals to his student's head. So far all those attempts remained fruitless.

The lessons were simple; As the Knight was praying to Eternal Fire for wisdom the captain was reading psalms – which the Order's leader knew by heart and thus could correct his student if mistaken. While the man was copying texts from the Order's books, the Grand Master would take care of his own work regarding his duties. At those times the captain would every so often huff irritated under his breath. From time to time, even throw his work to the ground, spilling the ink in process while swearing like a madman when noticing that the task, he had been working on for a whole day, was ruined one way or another and had to be started anew. Apart of those occurrences and the one time when the captain almost killed an Order's knight for calling him a '_Whoreson'_, the teacher was proud of his student. The Grand Master also took a great amount of time to motivate and praise his student. Although it didn't look like the commander cared much, but Knight could feel the pride beaming out of the solider, especially at the beginning, when the man's first sloppy signature was praised as a job well done.

It was several months later, the man no longer needed to copy books from Order's library, the commander gained enough skill and self-esteem to handle most of the writing tasks on his own. The Grand Master's job was reduced to catching up minor mistakes in his pupil's works or as an consultant to those documents which needed more 'finesse'.

"when writing a rapport you cannot address anyone as '_a ploughing son-of-a-whore'_. It's an official document Vernon, please use formal wording" The Grand Master said in calm voice, as he peeked from behind his student's shoulder, curious why the soon-to-be captain was so proud of himself all of sudden. The man cringed like a child caught red handed on stealing a pie and sighed defeated, crumpling his work and tossing it next to his feet where the rest of previous attempts were lying already forming an impressive pile of trash.

"I get it, Grand Master Siegfried" Vernon Roche admitted taking a fresh sheet of paper. Siegfried smiled and shook his head, then resumed his own work.

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comments, advices, constructive criticism etc. are always **welcomed** and **appreciated**!


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